Farm-gate.



(i. L` MILLER.

FARM GATE.

l APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1915. Lw PatentedAug. 29,1916.

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G. L. MILLER'.

FARM GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1915. l 96,263 Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

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GEORGE L. MILLER, OF ORANGE, VIRGINIA.

FARM-GATE.

Menace.

Specicaton' of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 19116.

Application led July 1, 1915. Serial No. 37,454.

To all whom t mag/"concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Orange, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Farm-Gates, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. j

This invention relates to gates of the type which can'be opened and closed from a team, and has for one of its principal objects to provide improved and simplified means for effecting the opening` andclosing of the gate.

Another object is to improve the gate supporting and latch holding means disclosed in my fathers Patent No. 635,570, issued` October 24, 1899. j

A further object is to provide a better supporting pivot for thegate.

Other objects will appear as tion proceeds. Y f

The invention will befirst. hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification, and then more specifically deined in the claims at the end of the description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views-Figure 1 is a perspective view of agate constructed inraccordance withmy invention, the same beingshown in closed position. Fig. 2 is a plan view `of the gate in closed position, a partiallywopenpositionbeing illustratedin dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of thel supporting' pivot at the bottomY of the gate, parts of the diagonally arranged posts and the pivot pin beingshown in elevation and the lower end of the gate in section. Fig. l is a detailed elevation of the upper end portions of the diagonallyyarranged posts, showing more particularly the Vpulley around which the supporting wire or cable is passed, the upperyportion of the gatebeing shown 1n section, and Fig. 5 .is a vertical sectional view throughthe cross piece and bracket on top of the diagonally arranged posts to show the passages or holes therein.` Y i The gate 1 ispmounted to swing upon a the descripc single bottom pivot 2 between two diagonally placed posts3 which hold the gate in posi- --tion for suspension and for swinging upon said pivot. The two posts are connected together at their bottom ends by across piece 4 to which the pivot 2 is fastened being passed through the same from below and secured by a head or collar 5 on its lower end and a screw collar or washer 6 clamping upon the top surface of said cross piece, see Fig. 3. The lower end of the gate is fitted witha metal` plate or ferrule 'Zhaving an opening or hole 8 to receive the projecting upper end of the pivot pin 2. This metal plate or ferrule takes the wear off of the wooden part of the gate land insures the proper and easy working of the gate upon its pivot for a much longer time than would be possible if the same wereomitted. The collar or washer 6 takes the wear off of the wooden cross piece 4; in the same manner, and as the metal plate or ferrule 7 'works directly in contact with the metal washer 6, the free swinging of the gate in opening and closing is assured. Furthermore, thefastening of the pivot pin rigidly to the bottom cross piece l by means of the head 5 and washer 6 gives better satisfaction than the mounting ,of the pivot on the bottom of the gate as heretofore. l

The, upper ends of the diagonally arranged posts 3 are connected by a cross piece 9 on which is mounted a metal bracket 10 having a raised middle portion 11 provided with three openings `or holes 12 arranged in verticalalinement with corresponding passages or holes 13 in the cross piece 9. The intermediate ones of the holes 12 and 13 are arranged in vertical alinement with the pivot pin, while the other holes are arranged at opposite sides of said pivot; A bolt 14 may be passed through any one of the pairs of alined holes 12 and 13. Said bolt may be rigidly secured by a nut 15 on its lower end, and carries apulley 16 between the cross piece 9 and the raised middle portion of the bracket 10. Around this pulley the supporting wire or cable 17 is passed for supporting the gate in proper position on its pivot. The pulley being free to turn on the bolt 14, the gate may swing open and closed without frictional wear upon the supporting cable 17 by the holding means for its upper looped end, as would be the case if said holding means were `a fixed part instead of the freely rotatable pulley.

When the pulley-carrying bolt 111 is placed'in the intermediate holes 12 and 13, the gate will be supported in vertically erect position, while the placing of the bolt in either of the other alined pairs of said holes fits catches.

For effecting the unlatching of the gateV will incline the gate slightly to one side or the other so as to make said gate either selfopening or self-closing when unlatched, as will be readily understood.

The supporting cable 17, which is in the form of a loop, is passed over or through an intermediate 'suspending yoke 18 which may be adjustably seated in any one of a series of notches 19 in the top rail of the gate in order to sustain the gate in proper relation to the diagonal posts 3, said cable or wire 17 being passed'under a pin 20 near the free Yend of the gate, Vbelow-the middle of its height, and loopedat 21 in the latch-,bar 22 below itspivot 23. Said latch-bar, which is double ended to engage catches k24 and 25 on theV gate-post 26, is thus held by the weight of the gate in position to automatically interlock with the catches when the gate is swung to closed position.V The same automatic latching action takes place when the gate is swung to its vfully opened position, the latch then engaginga catch 27 on v the post 29 at the side of the road. It will thus be seen that Vbefore the gate can be 'swung for either opening or closing the same','the latch 22 must first be released from by hand of a pedestrian, a hand-leverl 30 is pivoted at its lower end at 31 to the gate: and connected by a wire or other suitableconnection 32 to the upper end portion of the latch, so that by swinging the hand-lever toward the pivoted end of the gate or away from the latch, said latch may vbe disengaged from the catches. A fixed member is placed along side the pivoted lever 30 to prevent the latter from being actuated by stock which might open the gate if said fixed member 33 were not provided.

For unlatching and opening or closing the gate from a' team I have provided .improved mechanism consisting of anl arm 34 supported in horizontal position diagonally above the pivoted end portion of the gate upon brackets 35 and 36, and tripping mem- 'bers 37 and 38 pivoted on the ends of. said arm 34. As best illustrated in Fig. 2, one

endl of thearm 34 projects at the side of the gate on which it opens and extends beyond the pivot of the gate, while the other end of said arm projects at the other side of the Vgate and extends about one-fourth the full length of the gate. Both ends ofthe arm 34 are bent or curved away from and so as to lie substantially at rightangles to the plane of the gatein order to secure the proper leverage ltor closing the gate as Will be hereinafter more fullyY explained. Y The tripping `members`37. and 38 are T- i shaped, having arms 39 and 40, respectively, extending normally .parallel` to the main rportiony of the arm 34, and transverse arms 41 and 42, respectively, extending at opposito sides of said arms 39 and 40. The arms 41 and 42 are, therefore, parallel to each other, and said arms are connected by wires or rods 43 so that they are obliged to work in unison. The tripping member 37, on thc end of the arm 34 which extends beyond the pivot of the gate, has another arm 44 ex tending beyond the transverse arm 41 in line with the arm 39. This arm 44 has connected thereto a trip rod 44a having one end hooked to engage an opening through said tripping members are connected by the wires 43 to move in unison, it may be said that whenever either of said tripping members is swung relative to the arm 34, the gate will be unlatched.

ATo the ends of the arms 39 and 40 of the tripping members, ropes or wires are connected to run to poles 47 and 48 planted at suitable distances from the gate at either sidethereof and along side the road. A rope or wire 49 is fastened to the arm 39 of the tripping member 37 and passed over `a sheave 50 on the pole 47 at the side of the gate toward which the latter opens, while a rope or wire 51 is also connected to the arm 39 and passed over a sheave 52 on the other pole 48. Likewise, ropes or wires 53 and 54 are connected to the arm 40 of the tripping member 38 and passed respectively over sheaves 55 and 56 on the poles 47 and 48.

To the lower free end ot" A pull on the rope or wire 53 by the driverl of a team approaching the gate from the side toward which it opens will first turn the tripping member 38 on the arm 34, which will communicate such movement to the other tripping member 37 through the connecting wires 43 and effect the unlatching of the gate as already described, and then swing the gate to open position, the latch 22 on the gate automatically interlocking with the catches 27 and 28 passed through the gate, the driver may by pulling on the rope or wire 54 first unlatoh the gate from the catches 27 and 28 and then swing the gate shut in the saine manner, thek bent or curved end of the arm 34 to which the tripping member 38 is pivoted,

in addition to the inclined position of the arm 34 across the gate giving the necessary leverage to eHect this operation. When a team approaches from the other direction,

on the post 29 at the side of the road. After the team has llO the gate may be unlatched and opened by pulling upon the rope or wire 51 acting upon the tripping memberv 37 having the arm 44 connected to the latch 22 through the hand-lever 30. After the team has passed through the gate, the same may be unlatchedfrom the. post 29 and closed by pulling on the rope or wire 49, the necessary leverage being provided by the bent or curved end of the arm 34 to which the tripping member 37 is connected, in conjunction with the inclined position of the said arm 34 across the gate. It will be understood, of course, that the gate can be both opened and closed from the same side, that is, either side of the same, so that if after o-IJcning the gate the driver does not wish to go through, he can easily close it again from the side where he is.

By placing the pulley carrying bolt 14 in one of the pair of holes 12 and 13 at one side of the center or intermediate pair, the gate. may be made to open or close automatically, so that it will then be only necessary to give a single jerk or pull on the operating ropes or wires sufficient to unlatch the gate, whereupon the latter will swing open or closed as the case may be.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a pivoted gate, of a bar rigidly secured across the top of the gate and arranged at an acute angle to the plane of the gate, said bar having its ends curved away from the plane of the gate in order to provide the required lever- Copies of this patent may be obtained for age for easily closing the gate when it has been released, tripping members mounted on the extremities of the bar and connected to turn in unison, means for unlatching the gate connected to one of said tripping members, and pairs of independent operating connections extending at each side of the gate, the connectionsof each pair being attached to different ones of said tripping members, whereby the gate may be opened and closed from either side.

2. The combination with a pivoted gate, of a bar rigidly secured across the top of the gate and arranged at an acute angle to the plane of the gate, said bar having its ends curved away from the plane of the gate in order to provide the required leverage for easily closing the gate when it has been released, tripping members mounted on the extremities of the bar and connected to turn in unison, one of said tripping members having an extra arm, a trip rod pivotally connected to said extra arm, a hanger pivotally hung from the gate and connected to said trip rod, connecting means extending from the hanger to the latch, whereby said latch will be withdrawn when the tripping members are first actuated, and pairs of independent connections extending at each side of the gate, the connections of each pair being attached to different ones of said tripping members whereby the gate may be opened and closed from either side.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

Gr. L. MILLER.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Washington, D. C. 

